


Aftermath

by RedLion003



Series: Empire [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Atlas - Freeform, Bonding, Epilogue, Gen, Keith is tryna fit in, Paladin Bonding, Tis it, adam and curtis are bros, corrupted bots, olkarion, supportive sister axca
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:55:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24334708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLion003/pseuds/RedLion003
Summary: There are new changes that everyone must become accustomed to. In their owns ways.
Relationships: Keith & Voltron Paladins
Series: Empire [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1380721
Comments: 13
Kudos: 13





	1. These Changes

**Author's Note:**

> We back again. Saturday. May or may not post next chapter next Saturday cause I procrastinate a lot. So there is no telling.

"Then I'll do this myself."

"Keith, no -" Ezor tried again but he was already close enough to the Sincline. The doors opening and closing behind him. Axca stared up at the ship as all the lights flickered on, her brother probably already in the cockpit. She turned on the spot and ran through the open doors. The others followed closely behind her. Calling her name in panicked tones. They all hurried to the bridge, stopping before the large window to see the three ships getting away.

Ezor leaned back against the dash, her head in her hands. "Great. What do we do now?"

Axca was tapping her fingers against the sleek metal surface of the table before her. Her mind racing as all the recent events kicked in. Keith was out to kill the Emperor with a ship he had no knowledge of how to use. He seemed frazzled and unlike himself down at the 'Sincline'. Bloodthirsty and hasty. Keith was never one when it came to patience, but he knew how to make the right calls even in pressing matters like this. There was something off about him that she couldn't quite place.

"We just need to get into one of the ships and go on after him!" Zethrid exclaimed. "Or we can just take the cruiser and knock some sense into him." Zethrid was crossing her arms with her teeth bared. A simple sign that she was unimpressed with Keith's recent behavior.

Axca looked down at the dash, at the holographic lights hovering over the bright plane. Coordinates were lined on several areas of the map. “We can’t take our base straight to the Galra Empire!” Ezor reasoned. “And if we take our ships? He… he’s not in his right mind. He’ll bash right on past us.” Axca reached out and the map alerted at the touch of her fingers. She pulled through the expanse of holographic space, her eyes running over the coordinates. Narti stopped beside her, Kova’s eyes trained on the board.

“Do you know where they live?” Axca glanced over at Narti. “The Paladins.”

Narti looked up at her. Kova rising her head in time with hers before she nodded.

* * *

“When the Kerberos Mission was broadcasted as a failure, I... was devastated. I couldn’t even think about looking at the facts. But Curtis has been working on checking and posting the head offices about the ship’s engine progress. And of the well-being of everyone on ship. After the news came through to the world, Curtis told me that the pilots never left Kerberos. They send their feedback on the landing but they never reported on their progress. After a drone was sent out, pictures of the ship in ruins came back to us. No pilots were found. But they did not tell anyone that,” Adam looked up at Shiro who was sat at the chair across from him. 

It felt strange, looking at a man that was presumed dead. Alive and well after all this time. The only signs of his trauma were those of the scars across his face and the metal arm replacing his right. His golden eye piercing through him in search of answers. Sitting next to him was a bug-like woman, her four fingers twined together. The queen of the Planet Olkarion, “The investigation was dropped a few months later. And a while after that, a ship crashed in the dunes.”

“I overheard Tritan Orion, a man I consider one of the master programmers at the Garrison, talking about an investigation on the area. He and Joseph Jordon were requested to take a look at the wreck. As far as we could hear, no one at the site has ever seen them. Adam and I convinced them that they were not needed at the area anymore and went there under their alias,” Curtis continued. “We got the footage we needed. Captain Shirogane was being assaulted by a humanoid thing but managed to get it off of him. The feed cut out as they were launched.

But it seemed that the real Tritan and Joseph found out about our plan and a squadron came to escort us. We got away quick enough.”

“When we were ready, we told the world of our findings. Told them the truth behind the Kerberos Mission and the Garrison. One by one, we grew something like a resistance. People stood up against the Garrison’s lies and started to help us in finding Shiro. Search parties were held on the ground but we thought that the ship leaving orbit may have had something to do with Shirogane too. And we were right,” Adam looked out the large window beside him out onto the alien world. The large blue beast was displayed among the rest of its kind. “We saw some video on one of the cars that got in close. A large blue ship formed like a lion. A weapon - we soon learned - called Voltron.”

“We started to build something to take our findings among the stars,” Curtis interjected. “With the Garrison powerless, we got straight to work. We built the Atlas. It was nothing more than a shell.”

“That’s where we come in,” Axca - who was deafly quiet until now - started to speak. The Olkari - Ryner - turned to look at her. “Keith went absolutely mad. He wanted vengeance against the Empire and their wrong-doings. He left without reason. Ezor, Narti, Zethrid, and I decided to go to Earth. Back to... to me and Keith’s home. We were shot down almost immediately. They were paranoid after what they experienced from Shirogane’s escape.

But we reasoned with them. Told them what was happening out there and the whereabouts of Shirogane. They promised to help and we harnessed the energy of our ship into the Atlas. A single stone chip left from the Sincline was all we needed to get the Atlas moving. But only temporarily. Quintessence would not match up perfectly with primitive power.”

“We took what we had and what resources were necessary. Then we launched and used most of our energy to jump to the battlefield,” Curtis spoke again.

“How did you know where to find us?” Matt asked, leaning against the back of Ryner’s seat. Matt Holt looked just as tormented as Shiro did. A single scar was planted on his cheek but it held a memory deep enough to make his eyes darker. No longer the boisterous cadet everyone knew at the Garrison.

Kova purred from her position across Narti’s shoulders. Ezor spoke on Narti’s behalf, “Narti and Kurdish worked together to pick up a radio hailing by two galra cruisers in a close section. They were sharing coordinates on the battlegrounds. We just took that info for ourselves and got there in time. We did risk losing the Atlas by jumping into the line of fire but it seems fine now.”

“It will take a while for us to repair the Atlas and get it back into the air,” Adam looked toward Ryner. “Is there any way you could help?”

“I assure you, your ship is in good hands,” Ryner spoke, lowering her hands into her lap. “It will still take time, but your ship will come to full power and you could return home.”

Matt and Shiro perked up. Looking at her in awe. “H-home?” Matt stuttered, his voice choking up slightly. He shared a look with Shiro. “I-it... its been so long since I...” Shiro reached up and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I know, Matt,” he nodded understandingly.

“Er - Ezor, was it?” Curtis turned to Ezor, who gave him a concerned pout. “It’s Curtis. Not Kurdish.”

“Oh! Well, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind next time,” she grinned.

Matt sighed and pushed himself to his full height. “We should probably tell the other Paladins about all of this. It’s best they know the story as much as all of us.” He looked around the large room, at the working Olkari and wall-mounted computers. “Where are they anyway?”

Shiro got up from his place on the couch, “They are taking a bit of a break. They’ve gone through a lot in the past few Vargas. They don’t need any more drama.”

“Nor do you,” Matt gave him a meaningful look. “You lost your arm a few times in this war and came closer to death than anyone should. You should take a break too.”

“I will,” Shiro assured. “I just... need to get some stuff cleared before I rest. I don’t feel so reassured if there are possible threats over Olkarion.”

Ryner stood from her chair, “And we could handle it. Matt is right, you need rest.”

“And I will,” Shiro said. “Soon.”

* * *

“Today, is a solemn day. For today, we gaze upon a fierce warrior. Who has given their life for the lives of a city. Who has sacrificed themself for the greater reaches of technology,” A sniffle was heard beside her. “They reached great heights before their demise. But we will always remember them in their great honor.” Pidge stepped forward and kneeled down. “Rover, if you will.” The triangular bot twirled and focused on its target. A hot laser broke the object from the hill before her.

She took it back into her hand before standing and walking beside Hunk and Lance again. Rover hovered at her shoulder, “We will keep these spectacles in honor of her memory. May she rest... in pieces.”

They stepped a few feet back before Pidge pressed the top of the detonator. The grave before them blew up as the bombs heated up. Stones flying everywhere with specks of dirt and armor plates. They brought up their shields to protect from the force. All that was left was a hole at the bottom of a large tree. “Holy shit,” Lance breathed. “I didn’t think it was gonna be that loud.”

"It's a fucking _bomb_ , what did you expect? A lullaby?" Pidge snickered at her own comment. Rover twirled at her side. Her new robot companion stuck to her like a magnet. Shiro was right about the two of them getting along. Pidge has been playing with the droid for days ever since she met it.

"One, I expected it to be quieter," Lance huffed, putting his hands on his hips. Hunk chuckling behind them from their crazy antics. "Two, that wasn't such a smart comment. Now was it?"

"I wouldn't trust your opinion on that," Pidge winked at him with a cheeky smirk, and Rover squealed in surprise. Lance's eyes shot wide as Hunk bend over backward with peals of laughter.

“Wha - what are you guys doing?” they heard a voice panting behind them. They spun on their heels to see the Red Paladin. His breathing uneven and his sword activated. His eyes darting behind them and toward the hole in the ground. “D-did you... blow up some dirt?”

“It’s not just _some_ dirt,” Pidge crossed her arms. She threw her fists up as she struck a dramatic pose. “It’s the memory of my excellent sacrifice.”

“Then why did you blow it up?” Keith asked, his sword whirling away in a fiery light. “And I doubt a sacrifice can be called... ‘excellent’.”

"A relic in history my friend," Pidge tsked, patting him on the shoulder as she passed him. Lance and Hunk followed after her. Keith was left in confused silence. His original question not quite answered. He turned back and followed the trio down the hill.

"You didn't answer my original question," Keith pointed out, sending them into a halt. They turned to look up at him. "Why did you blow it up if it was a relic in history?"

Pidge huffed and raised a cocky eyebrow, "It stole a very, very important item from me." She picked at her pocket before spinning an object around her finger. Thin rims and shattered lenses. "These glasses are extraordinarily _crucial_ to my family name. I need them back, you know?"

Keith glanced down at them, the lenses glinting in the light. The dust becoming more apparent as bright rays bounced off the glass, "You seem to be fine without... glasses. Do they even help your eyesight?"

"No," Pidge pouted, turning on her heel and studying the broken rims. She looked at it with a fond sadness before stuffing them back into her baggy pockets. "They're - erm - accessory! I don't need them to see, they're fake lenses."

"Aren't fake lenses bad for you?" Keith cocked his head, seeming almost uncertain if the question was valid. "They strain your eyes, don't they? Why not just get the lenses removed?"

Pidge glowered up at him, "I didn't ask for an investigation. Maybe it's like that to Galra but not to humans, _okay_?" She turned on the spot with an almost offended look. "You don't get it, alright? It's just important. Now, come on," she turned back to the others. "We need to find a good Olkari to get these fixed."

Keith tensed and attempted to take a step forward, "Green Paladin! I didn't mean it like that. I was just trying to -"

"Save your breath," Pidge scoffed, not giving him a second glance. "Maybe Shiro would actually buy your excuses. Come on, guys. I think I saw a repair store down in the city." The three of them hurried down the hill and drew farther and farther from Keith. He sighed and leaned back against the oak behind him, watching them become distant figures in the distance before disappearing among the city crowds.

He slid down to the forest floor and held his knees up to his chest. So far, there was no progress between him and the other Paladins. And he just seemed to hit sore spots. He just didn't know what to say to pleasure their conversation... topics. He didn't grow up among their kind, he didn't know how it was like.

"Mind if I sit down?" he glanced up at the person that stopped beside him and his body tensed as he recognized the figure. Axca was looking down at him with her usual expressionless self, "Or are you gonna go crazy again?"

Keith glared at the remark and stared ahead at the city, "Don't make jokes like that. I get it, I did the wrong thing. There's nothing I can do about it now."

"No, it's not that," Axca assured, but her words fell on deaf ears. She quietly sank down beside him. "Look, I heard the story about what happened. Shiro explained the whole thing in detail. Haggar... I mean, I should've seen it. You can never be too sure when dealing with her. Lotor knew that as well as any of us."

Keith glanced up at her, "So, the meeting. It went well."

"As well as meetings go," Axca acknowledged, staring down at the city. "People talked and explained things. Asked questions, got them. All the small details."

"How did you get here? With humans, with the Atlas," Keith studied her somber expression. Like trying to decipher her explanation before he even got it.

"I just went to the first place I thought we'd be safe, me and the generals. And they were becoming strong enough to help. We were just on time in the end," Axca looked at Keith.

"Well, I'm glad you have everything figured out," Keith scoffed, following the trail the Paladins took. "I just don't fit in... anywhere. Shiro might understand me but the other Paladins still don't forgive and - and probably never will. I want to do good for him but I can't do that if they don't trust me."

"You've been able to convince anyone of your loyalty," Axca said, bringing his attention back to her. "It has so much more meaning when that loyalty is true. You just have to help them see it."

"I'm not sure I could ever prove myself to them."

"You don't need to."

* * *

Allura looked over the balcony of the Castle of Lions and down at the Olkarion city. Watching the three Paladins weave through the crowd laughing, younger Olkari trailing the maps and vendors in the streets. She took a deep breath of Olkari air and started coughing. Her lungs felt ice cold. Her throat burning. She cleared her throat and swallowed a mouthful of water. She exhaled slowly before she placed the cup next to her and looked across the city once more. "Princess, are you alright?" she looked back to see Coran walk in through the doors.

"I'm fine, Coran," she turned back to the view. "Just... getting used to all these changes. There is - so much to see."

"There is indeed," he leaned against the fence beside her. "It is both fantastical and bizarre waking up after so long and seeing everything that has happened. It feels good to see new people once and a while."

"All faces I do not recognize," Allura sighed, standing straighter. "But I will soon come accustomed to the changes. Slowly but surely." She looked at the edge of the city as two new figures stepped up onto the concrete. "Coran, what is his story?"

Coran looked at her in surprise and followed her line of sight, "What?"

"Keith, the Red Paladin," she asked again. "I only ever met him in Zarkon's ship. Who is he? Exactly."

Coran looked off to Keith and shrugged, "I can't say I know myself. He worked for the Galra for what I could only assume was his entire life. But he had a side job with the Blades. In the end, he was true to the generals. We're not all too sure his story." Allura hummed and looked back at him. It was kind of disappointing. There was something about him that had her full attention. But now she couldn't have the answers.

"But -," she looked back at Coran who seemed deep in thought. "Shiro and him have a very special bond. Perhaps he could tell you more?"

"Perhaps," she replied, watching Keith walk among the crowd.

* * *

"Thanks, dude! Be back later," Pidge called to the Olkari at the front desk. The three of them exited the shop and stood in the middle of the city. Rover came and hovered by Pidge's ear. "Alrighty, that's gonna be a while... What do we do now?"

The four of them looked around for a while before Lance shrugged, "Shit, I guess? Just walk around and observe the place."

"Sure, at least that's a plan," they started walking down the city streets, weaving through the excited Olkari. Food stores passed them by and voices filled the air before it was Pidge's gasp. "Guys! Do you see that!?" Hunk and Lance looked around for what caught her interests before she forced their line of vision to lock onto one particular spot. An old-looking Olkari was bringing a limp robot out of his house. He walked round to the alleyway and dumped its metal body next to the dumpster.

She gasped again and ran ahead. The two boys were delirious for a bit before following after her. "Are you throwing that out?" Pidge called, catching the old Olkari's attention.

"Wha - yeah! O' course I am," he scratched his head, his antenna twitching. "Why wouldn' I?"

Pidge's jaw dropped, "Why wouldn't -? Hold up! That's a robot! You're an Olkari, can't you just fix it?"

The old Olkari chuckled, "I wish it were that easy, young Paladin. But there's only a certain of times you can try to fix something before it is truly broken. That guy there, he's gone for good." He shuffled off back into his home, the door closing behind him.

Lance walked forward and kneeled in front of it, "Poor guy, your time is up, huh?" it sparked slightly, head cocking to the side.

"Time is up? No _way_ , dude!" Pidge pushed him out of the way and picked it up by the head. "This is a gold mine right here!" The head popped from the shoulders and sparks flew through the air. They looked down at the silent body on the floor for a moment before Pidge started to investigate the head. "We can patch this, no problem!"

"Are you sure?" Hunk looked down at the head in Pidge's hands before she tucked it under her arm. "We already blew one thing up today, I'm fine with it staying at one."

"Yeah! Duh. I'm sure there's a ton of altean scrap strong enough to hold him together," she kneeled back down at the body and tugged at its shoulders. Rover dove behind it and lifted it from the back. Lance and Hunk shrugged before grabbing the spare parts that fell off.

"What are you messing with this time?"

They all jumped, bits of metal scraps falling from their arms. Lance groaned when he saw Keith and went back to pick up his pile, "None of your business, mullet. Can't you just leave us be?"

Pidge was all too ready to share, "Fixing up this robot that an old Olkari threw out. We just have to get everything to the engineering room in the castle!"

"That's stupid," Keith said. "This is an Olkarion city, the wizards of tech. If they are throwing out an old service bot, it means it's gone for good." Pidge glowered at Keith.

Once again, he felt like he was saying the wrong things. "Well, _Red Paladin_ ," she enunciated his title with hostility. "Apparently, Galra isn't all about recycle either. One man's trash is another man's treasure. That's how humans see it."

"Well, Keith has fixed quite a few short-circuited sentries back on the cruiser," Acxa said, Keith looking at her in confusion. Lance was pretty sure he saw her wink at him. "Perhaps he could help."

"That was a long time ago, I don't even remember anything," Keith objected, trying to get out of the situation she was putting him into.

"Come on, yes you do," Axca nudged him in the arm before turning to them with a smug smile. "He could help."

Pidge looked between the twins before looking back at Keith, "You can?" 

Keith glanced over at her and drew back, "Er - I'm not really - maybe?"

She looked down at the head under her arm and thrust it into his arms. Keith stumbled before holding it securely to his chest. He glanced at Axca for help but she shrugged and walked past them. "Alright then, follow us and help us fix it. So, it better work," Pidge said nonchalantly. Keith glared after his sister before Pidge waved at them to follow.

They stumbled back to the castle and through the halls before they came to the engineering room. Pidge dropped all the pieces on a nearby table, "Just drop it there!" She called before running to grab the tools.

Hunk and Lance pushed the robot limbs on the tabletop and Keith put the head on the edge. Pidge came back with a wide smile before sorting the pieces in front of her. A childlike excitement seemed to fill her as she looked at all the pieces before her. Keith was getting the sense that problem-solving was one of her favored hobbies.

"This is gonna be so cool!" She hurried around the table and grabbed Keith by the collar. She dragged him beside her at the other side and pointed to the pieces. "You know about alien tech, come on. What should I do?"

"Right, okay," He fidgeted slightly before looking down at the various sizes of metal. He's never seen an Olkari bot before and never even worked with something so advanced. He only knew the types by the symbols on their heads and that was as far as he was willing to learn. His estimation was that fixing an Olkari bot may end in disaster but there was a chance they'd figure out how to make it work.

And maybe he could gain their trust while doing this.

* * *

The view of Olkari was magnificent. Large oak trees rolling miles on land. High chrome buildings everywhere he dares lay his eyes. Children running in circles on ground and vendors calling out in the streets. The sun peeked over the trees, leaving a soft glow across the city. Everything so tranquil you'd never expect danger to befall you.

"So, how do you feel about being on an _alien_ planet?" He looked back at the companion that has stuck by his side through all these rough times. Curtis walked up beside him and leaned against the fence blocking their fall.

"I believe the correct term to use here is... alien?" Adam guessed. Curtis chuckled at the remark. Time passed by in silence as the sun lowered behind the trees. The Atlas stood tall behind the buildings, a few Olkari walking around the large ship. "They're fixing the Atlas at quite a quick pace. We might launch quicker than we thought."

"Well, they are tech wizards," Curtis pointed out. "And yes, the ship is repairing at a remarkably fast pace. So, we shouldn't just stand around and stare. We should get out into the city and see what others only could dream of. Experience the worlds beyond our world."

Adam chuckled at Curtis' enthusiasm, "I understand now. Why Shiro couldn't leave this place. I've never really understood the universe until now."

"It is amazing once you see it yourself, isn't it?" Curtis glanced back at the view.

Adam smiled softly, "Yeah."

* * *

"Just rewire it over there and it ought to work," Keith instructed and Pidge jumped right to the task. Keith leaned up against the table and watched her work the wires in deep concentration.

A quick spark and the wire was attached, "Got it! That it?"

"Pretty much," Keith shrugged, walking around the table and pushing the bot into a sitting position. Pidge closed the hatch and stepped back to observe her work. The greys and browns were covered with slabs of white and blue metal. The eyes were grey and the body stiff. Hunk pushed his goggles to the top of his head and Lance came to stand by their side.

"Did it work?" He asked, his eyes scanning over the bot.

The four of them stood there for a while, observing the bot. Rover whizzed up beside Pidge and perched on her shoulder. Pidge sighed and stepped forward, picking up a wrench, "Maybe we just couldn't find the problem. We just have to dig deep -" The bot trembled and whirred. Its eyes slowly lighting up and casting a soft light on the desktop. The Paladins all took a step back and watched it warily. The bot shifted and its eyes landed on them. Its eyes flickered and they all warily stood before it. "Nee-i-eeee -" the robot growled.

"Wh-what?" Pidge stuttered. The bot shifted, metal chipping off its limp body. It dropped onto the floor, a large clang erupting through the room. The wrench fell from Pidge's fingers and Rover whirred farther away from it. "Whatta -"

"Nee-i-a a ee," the bot screeched as it pushed to its full height and stared them down. "Nee-a."

"That may or may not be a sign of corruption," Keith explained, taking a step away from it.

"It's corrupted!?" Lance screamed before the bot went full speed ahead. The Paladins jumped apart and watched it run out the door. They blinked in shock as the bot disappeared from their sight. They all glanced at one another before Pidge screamed, "We can't let it get to the city!" She ran at full speed toward the door and around the corner. The other Paladins and Rover followed closely behind her.

Hunk groaned, "This is the cube situation all over again!"

The bot was up ahead, knocking into walls and screaming 'Nee-i-aa-nee-a-nee!'. It knocked into a table and tumbled to the ground. Thin blankets fell all over the floor as it popped back up and ran ahead. Keith summoned his bayard and the sword grew from the edge. He tossed it after the bot but it missed it by an inch. It passed around the corner and the blade embedded into the wall. The Paladins all panted as they watched the empty hall.

" _Fuck_ ," Pidge groaned, holding her knees and steadying her breath. Her head perked when her eyes fell on the scattered blankets. She picked up a bright pink one and tied the edge around her hand. "We'll tie it down and Keith can stab it."

"Woah, woah, woah! Why do _I_ have to kill it!?" Keith demanded.

She glared back at him, "Because you helped me rewire it!" She thrust the other blankets into Hunk and Lance's hands before taking off again. Keith growled before running ahead of them and grabbing his sword from the wall. They all ran down the halls with the grease marks before they caught sight of it again. Keith tossed the bayard at its legs in an attempt to slow it down but it ran straight ahead. The bayard barely bothered it. Keith summoned it back to his hand before they could get there.

"Hunk! Run down the left wall and block its path!"

Hunk gave her a quick salute before he ran down the hall and disappeared from sight. They ran after the bot as fast as their legs could allow before Hunk jumped from the other side of the hall and held his blanket taught. The bot ran into it and - in his panic - he jumped forward and kept it pinned. Pidge and Lance jumped ahead and pinned the rest of him in the blankets. The whites and pinks being taken over by black oil. "Keith! K-kill it!"

Keith came to a halt by its exposed head and raised his blade. The bot struggled and crackled, "A- aaa - haar."

Keith looked at the bot in surprise, his grip on the sword faltering. "KEITH!" He was stunned back to reality by Pidge's angered scream and tightened his grip again. The blade cut through the bot's head like butter. The bot crumpled together and smoke blew from its mouth. They all stayed in tense silence before they all fell back with a sigh. "Jesus..." Pidge grumbled, pushing up against the wall.

"Um - Green Paladin," they all jumped and looked up at an older looking Olkari with blue-tinted glasses. He held a small white box in his hands. "What happened here?"

"AI trouble," Pidge waved it off, jumping to her feet and walking up to him. "Are those them?"

The olkari grew a soft smile and cracked open the box. Keith went to stand beside her and saw a familiar accessory. A round pair of thin-rimmed glasses. No lenses were present. He felt almost bad at the sight of them. Pidge took them from the casing and grinned down at them. "Thanks so much, Jarier! They look perfect." She slipped them back into place and almost seemed complete. She took a deep breath and stepped aside to gesture at the bot. "You can have this. I noticed a lot of wrecked bots in your store."

The olkari - Jarier - looked over the bot with interest, "Ah - yes. I have always had an interest in older bots. A most generous donation, I must say. Are you sure you do not want to keep it?"

"Nah, maybe..." Pidge sighed with a small pout on her face. "Maybe some things broken just can't be fixed." She smiled at the old repairer. "But it could still come to good use. It will fill up your shop more, yeah?"

"Thank you, young Paladin," he picked up the bot from the floor with a gentle smile.

"No problem, besides," she smirked at Keith out the corner of her eye. "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Keith glowered down at her.

"You might want to keep those blankets too," Lance said, sharing a nervous grin with the other paladins. "Coran - uh - doesn't want them anymore." He gave them a silent nod before he left. As he passed around the corner they all dropped back to the floor and sat against the wall. The sun streaming over them from the windowed wall.

"You hesitated," Pidge looked at Keith skeptically. Keith blinked in surprise before he looked at her. "When I told you to kill it, you hesitated. Why?" Lance and Hunk looked up at him, like they didn't notice his hesitation.

Keith sighed and leaned back to look over the city of Olkari, "That bot said Ahaar. It is a forest clearing somewhere on Olkari. It's right beside Kimboha. The habitat of Garapese. I just don't know why it would be so concerned about that place." He shook his head dismissively. "But maybe I'm overreacting and just hearing things. It's probably nothing."

"It was just a malfunctioning bot," Lance shrugged, getting up off the floor.

"Yeah," Pidge looked down at her hands with a thrown.

Keith placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder, "You alright?"

Pidge looked at Keith's hand like it was a deadly plague. Keith pulled back and got to his feet instead. She got up with Hunk and shrugged, righting her glasses on her face. "Yeah, I'm good. We should probably clean up before anyone notices." They all looked at the greasy floor. Black splatters staining the white metal. "Or we could leave it? Let... Coran _stumble_ upon it..." Lance and Hunk nodded vigorously and turned on their heels. Leaving faster than an innocent person should.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Keith asked Pidge.

"What? No. No way! We had nothing to do with it," she walked down the hall without another glance. Rover floating close to her head. Keith sighed before following them back to the city.

* * *

Allura found Shiro inspecting a trail of oil. "Oh, hello, Shiro!" she called, catching his attention immediately.

"Hello, Princess," Shiro got up from the ground and turned to her.

"What happened here?" Allura asked, gesturing to the large pool of oil.

Shiro shrugged with a furrow in his brows, "I don't know. I saw it while I was patrolling. I'll alert Coran in case it's something serious." He turned down the hall and started walking.

"Wait!" Allura called, halting the Paladin in his steps. He turned back to her with a raised brow. "I - um... I wanted to ask you something." He turned to her completely and waited patiently. "Keith. What - I mean - How did you meet him? How did he become a Paladin?"

"Keith?" Shiro asked. Allura nodded unsurely. Shiro's face mixed with focus as he thought back on it. "Well, we weren't on the same side of the war. He worked for the Empire. But that's what we thought. He worked for a group that was working on overthrowing the Empire. He didn't really explain to me why he was on top of the Blades too, though. But I know he has his reasons. At the end of the quintant, he joined us. He did the right thing." Allura looked down with concern and Shiro stepped toward her. "Keith won't turn on us. I know he wouldn't. Just give him time to... adjust."

Allura looked up at Shiro, who gave her a kind smile. "Yes... of course," Shiro walked back down the hall to find Coran. Allura looked down at the oil trail, deep in thought. "Is he really... safe?" She sighed before she left to control the bridge.


	2. Patching Friendships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while, eh?

Her metal body seemed to be covered in fur. Her golden eyes staring down at him, a subtle gleam reflecting from outside making them look alive. Her large white claws were taller than himself. Even though she has been answering to him, Red has been hesitant. A quiet growl before it disappeared into nothingness.

Keith has been scaling the Castle halls for the past few quintants now. Recognizing the cracks in the white walls and the soft blue glow of the sconces. His new room was small but bigger than usual. A bed tucked into a frame in the wall and a small dresser pushed in the far corner. The room was extraordinarily baren and bright. He found himself falling asleep in the Observatory room more, watching the dark city from a sky-high view. But now he stood here, before the beast that claimed him so many decophoebs ago.

Her quiet figure sitting in the center of her 'hangar'. Her rightful place among the other lions of Voltron. Her head slightly bowed at the neck, looking at a spot just behind him.

His steps echoed in the large room, sending a chill down his spine. The Blade base nor galra cruisers were this open and quiet. There was always the thudding of passing patrols or the sharp zap of the witch's power. The witch's power that has held control over him for so long without his knowledge. So strong and quiet he couldn't tell the difference between his own mind and hers. Breaking the connection between himself and the creature before him.

His fingers barely grazed against her claw before he heard the commotion. A loud yelp and angry yells not long after. He pulled the sword from his belt and darted out the door. The blade growing with every footstep until his sword was held tightly in his fist. He listened closely to the voices and followed them until they got louder and louder. He burst through the door leading into the lounge room, huffing out short breaths. To his surprise, he saw Hunk and Lance holding down Shiro who was trying to fight them off.

"You - urgh - y-you're gonna choke me, get off," he pushed at the boys' persistent hands.

"Not until you promise to take a break!" Lance's whiny voice pulled Keith back to reality. He summoned his blade and sheathed it back into his belt. Crossing his arms as he observed the scene before him. Hunk was the first to notice him standing in the room.

"Oh, hey Keith!" Hunk waved at him with a smile. "Don't worry about Shiro, we're just making sure we get him to bed. He hasn't slept in a few days and wanted to sit him down to urge him into taking a break."

Shiro pushed Lance aside and scooted away from Hunk, "By 'urge him' you mean stuffing me in a sack and tossing me into a couch." Shiro picked up the sack in question and tossed it aside. "You could've just asked me to sit down, y' know?"

Lance sat cross-legged next to Shiro, which Keith found extremely odd seeing he was sitting on a couch, "Uh, no we couldn't. You kept shoving us off and saying you need to do what you can to help. Believe me, force was the best way to go." Shiro pouted down at him and Lance threw up his hands in defense. "Hey, hey, hey! It was either that or we slip tranquilizers into your hot cocoa! But Hunk said we shouldn't do that cause it's 'illegal'."

"It is  _ super  _ illegal and I won't let you poison our friend with something that is supposed to bring someone great comfort," Hunk scoffed defiantly. During the whole ordeal, Keith couldn't help but notice the absence of the last Paladin. She seemed like the type that would enjoy something like this.

"Where's the Green Paladin?" Keith asked, looking back at the three people on the couch.

"Pfft, Pidge? She's off in the city. Probably trying to upgrade Rover to have some legs or somethin'. She'll be back by nightfall, sure of it," Lance's words were meant to be comforting but his once blind eye now shown a bright gold which felt ominous. Piercing into him like the eyes of all the lions bound together. Eyes like...

"I thought you'd all be together, you usually are," Keith noted.

Hunk frowned, "Well, yeah. But we needed to make sure Shiro took a break and she wanted to go ask around about something. Not sure what but she seemed pretty serious about it. She was gone before we could even ask."

He looked down at his feet, towards the pristine floors. So clear he could see his own reflection. His eye flickering in and out of gold. Never really knowing whether to stay or not. He noticed another reflection edge towards him and looked up to see Shiro's worried eyes frown down at him.

"Have you managed to stabilize that bond yet?" he asked carefully. His eye flickered in answer and he looked away without a reply. He stepped forward, still keeping cautious. "Let me help you, we could do it togeth -"

"No! No, no, no, no, no," Lance jumped from his spot on the couch and stood next to Shiro. "Hunk, get a dictionary cause I don't know if this man knows the definition of 'rest'."

"I'm not even that tired, I could stay up for a few more hours," Shiro assured them.

"Shiro, I agree with Lance on this one," Hunk said firmly. "You need to stop working for a bit. The Olkari know what they're doing and you need the rest. We've all worked hard these past few months, just stop for a few days. Sleep, enjoy Olkari!"

Shiro looked unsure of their arguments but Keith felt bad to be keeping him up an extra few hours when he's been causing most of the man's stress from the beginning. "Shiro, it's fine. I can do it on my own. They are right. You need to set down for a little bit."

Shiro took a deep breath and cracked a small smile. "You're right, I'll take a break. I suppose I  _ could  _ use a few hours' sleep." He walked toward the door and stopped short. Looking back at the three boys with one last appreciative smile. "Lance, Hunk, why don't you help Keith with his lion? It would make for a great bonding experience."

"Eh..." Lance stuttered and Hunk rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Shiro left without another word and the three of them looked to each other in regret.

* * *

The Olkari GPS in her hand sent out subtle beeps as she drew closer to her location.  _ That bot said Ahaar. It is a forest clearing somewhere on Olkari. It's right beside Kimboha. The habitat of Garapese. I just don't know why it would be so concerned about that place. _ Pidge knew it was stupid but after what Keith said about Ahaar and the Kimboha, she couldn't help but get curious. She spent her entire day asking around before someone pointed her in the direction of a variety of GPSs.

Seeing she was a paladin of Voltron, all she needed to do was give the owner's daughter an autograph and the GPS was hers. Shiro would probably not encourage using her to use her fame for free stuff but it wasn't like she would do it for something worthless.

_ But maybe I'm overreacting and just hearing things. It's probably nothing. _ The voice of the Red Paladin seemed to reprimand her.  _ It was just a malfunctioning bot. _ Lance's voice filled her head and she shook the thoughts away. Staring down at her position on the GP map. She glanced at her surroundings. Tall trees bearing small life forms in its branches. Orange and yellow leaves peppering the forest floor. Blades of long grass poking through the foliage.

It  _ was  _ a malfunctioning bot. But if it would say something as crisp as Ahaar, maybe it was a sign to follow it. Bots gather information as they interact with people and she doubted that Olkari was any different. Something about this clearing was important to the bot, enough to be saying it over and over as it hurried through the halls.

"Come on, Rover," Pidge looked up to the triangular droid floating by her head. "Let's go find out what was so important to that ol' guy, huh?"

With a twirl and squeal, they trudged on through the forest. A yellow pattern started making itself clear and she stopped in her tracks as a label popped on the screen. Hovering her Paladin gauntlet over the words, they translated into English (or Galvacore). Ahaar stood over the screen. Keeping her eyes fixed on the GPS, she hurried onward. Watching as the yellow patch grew more and more evident. Rover whizzing at her side, hastily keeping up.

A few more steps and she collapsed to the ground. The GPS skidded under a pile of leaves and Rover hurried down beside her with a volley of concerned beeps.

She scrubbed the leaves from her hair and looked back at the log she tripped over. "Should probably look where I'm going," she pointed out sheepily. Getting to her feet and dusting off her pants. She picked up her glasses and examined them for any signs of damage. When she was sure they were still in good shape, she put them back before her eyes and looked up to the beginning of grasslands. She picked the GPS from the floor and pocketed it before turning to Rover. "Ready to find out what that bot wanted here?"

Rover squealed, its light blinking in rapid succession.

She stepped out into the tall grass and looked around. Ahaar was beautiful, to say the least. Surrounded by the colors of autumn and giving a direct view of the blue skies. Pidge was never one to love nature but the view was positively exquisite. Looking around, she saw nothing but grass, sky, and trees. Nothing noteworthy.

She pushed through the tall grass that reached up to her chin. Keeping her eyes open for anything interesting. She sighed as she scoped through the other side of the field. The sky turning pinker as the sun set beyond the trees. She sighed and turned back to the direction of the city. "Come on, Rover. This was a waste of our time."

The two of them left the field empty-handed and Pidge wondered if it really was just some malfunctioning bot with no meaning.

* * *

Shiro tossed and turned in bed. The light was out and the window sealed tight to help him fall asleep. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw him. The witch's spirit within him and his blade pierced through his shoulder. The blinding pain as his arm disconnected with his body. And before he knew it, he was sitting up in bed and staring off into the dark void of his bedroom. He took a deep breath and got out of bed, pulling on his boots and leaving his room.

He thought it would be easy to fall asleep seeing it has been a while but he was proved wrong. He stopped next to a window and stared out over the city. The sky was turning from orange to subtle pink. The sun lowering behind the mountains.

"Lance and Hunk said you were in bed," he tensed as the familiar voice plagued his ears. He spun around to see -

"Adam," Shiro said, somewhat breathlessly. The last time he saw his ex-fiance wasn't on the best terms. He noticed him among the crowd during the Kerberos launch but it was the first time Adam didn't seem happy to be there at all. "I - I thought you were with Curtis. You usually are these days."

"I'm my own man, Shirogane," Adam said simply. "Curtis is a dear friend of mine and we went through a lot together. But we aren't with each other everywhere we go. We have our own lives to lead too." Shiro cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. He was under the impression that Curtis and Adam... were  _ more  _ than friends. And maybe they were but it wasn't his business to ask. Right? "And Lance told me you were in bed. But you very clearly aren't."

"Couldn't sleep," Shiro stated, turning back to the view of Olkari and leaning against the wall. "While you were off creating your army, we were here working with what little we got. We saw a lot of things that no one deserves to experience."

"I both can and can't imagine," Adam said, leaning beside him. "I wish there was more we could do to help."

"You've done a lot," Shiro assured. "If the Atlas didn't come, Voltron could've been destroyed. The leftover Galra cruisers could've overpowered the other forces and taken over the Universe once again. Maybe even stronger the second time around." Shiro smiled over at Adam. "Believe me, you've done a lot more than you will believe."

"And I'll accept the compliment," Adam smiled back at him. A bit strained but still there. Silence rung between them for a while. Not quite tense but not comfortable. "Listen, about the whole... situation, let's call it. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Shiro asked.

Adam turned to look out at the city again, "When I broke it off with you. We've been having struggles even before the Kerberos incident but I shouldn't have just left. You were sick and you needed the support. I should've at least been there for you then."

"Then I should say sorry to," Shiro turned to look at the city with him. "I tried to be better than I was and when I heard the disease was getting worse, all I wanted was to see the stars one last time. I disregarded everything important to me and took the first chance I could get. Part of me is upset about what I've done. Throwing away everything only to get abducted and stuck in a war I wasn't even aware of happening.

"But another part of me is glad. I made amazing friends, saw worlds I couldn't even dream of, and met someone who became so important to me."

"Keith, right?" Adam asked, glancing toward him. "The mysterious human boy that lived in space cause he was secretly an alien?"

Shiro chuckled, "Even if I had to go through that whole disaster again, just to bring him back to what could be a free life, I would. I'm not sure he feels the same, but he became like a brother to me."

"He does, believe it," Adam assured him.

The second silence wasn't so tense.

* * *

"The best form of trust exercise is a nosedive and pulling up right before you land," Lance's voice called over the comms. "I read it in some old Paladin manual in Coran's room I translated to Galvacore. Now, I'm not Pidge, but I have to say, if I had a translater as good as Altea's tech, I would never have bothered learning English."

"You would've picked it up eventually," Hunk pointed out.

"Not if I didn't bother to learn it!" Lance argued, adamant about keeping his case. "I would've just whipped it out and wha-BAM, no need to spend useless hours translating maleta into suitcase."

"It is subconscious learning, Lance," Hunk said in an informative matter. "The subconscious mind is like a data-bank for everything, which is not in your conscious mind. It stores your beliefs, your previous experience, your memories, and your skills. Everything that you have seen, done, or thought is also there. It is your guidance system."

"Pfft, if I had a good guidance system, I'd be A+ in history and I don't see any degrees," Lance huffed.

"You'd be an A+ student if you actually listened in Mr. Hoffin's classes."

"I was at full attention!"

"Is this conversation going anywhere?" Keith called over the argument. He's been sitting there trying to decipher what any of their words meant before his brain got too tired to try. "Who's Mr. Hoffin? And why do you need an A+ to see a degree?"

"Unimportant," Lance scoffed. "Point is, we need to strengthen your connection to the Red Lion." He heard the rustle of papers, so he could only assume this 'Paladin manual' was with him right now. "We need to blind ourselves from the world and quote-on-quote 'see through the lion's eyes'." As he said that, darkness covered his eyes. Blinding him from the sky's view.

A heavy thud sounded somewhere over the comms along with a high-pitched scream. "Wh-what is it?" Keith demanded, hands clenching over Red's pedals and ready to attack whatever threat made Lance scream like that.

"N-nothing!" Lance called back quickly. "I just didn't expect for the helmets to cover so quick." He chuckled nervously before clearing his throat. "Anywho, everyone! Get your lions into a nosedive!" There was still a slight tremor of shock in his voice as he called over the comms. Keith pushed on the pedals in a familiar movement and felt himself zooming down with Red.

"Ow! Lance!" Hunk called towards the Blue Paladin. The Blue Lion growled in discomfort and went to her own pace. Keith tried to connect to Red like he has many times before. Closing the world like the visor darkened his vision. Seeing only the eyes of the Red Lion. Her growl echoed through his head and sounded uneasy. The remnants of the witch's aura weren't quite gone from either of them, setting them both on edge.

'You know I didn't mean to shut you out, girl,' Keith reached a hand out to her. 'She's gone now. Come back to me.'

Her nose inched closer to him, her large body shifting closer to him with the movement. The familiar connection easing his mind. He noticed movement in his peripherals and glanced off into the emptiness surrounding them. He saw himself in, the scanner connecting to the dash and the rumbling of dark energy shaking his body. The Red Lion roared, the bond sizzling away until it was nothing with a weathered thread. 'Red, that's over now, we can put it behind us -'

A loud bang hit the back of his lion and Red stumbled between consciousness and unconsciousness. Her lights flickering on and off.

"Oh no,  _ oh no _ ! Who'd I hit!?" Lance panicked over the comms. Keith tried pulling on the pedals to steady her but she refused to answer to his commands. His visor flickered, seeing the endless trees nearing his vision as they plummeted closer.

"Red, move!" One last stuttering rumble before she shut herself off and they pushed through the leaves and crashed against the earth. Everything was dark but he wasn't unconscious. He pushed up until he felt his backrest push against his spine. He took a shaky breath before his vision returned to him. Not far ahead of him was the Blue Lion on her back. Her legs slightly shifting but looked pretty much incapable of getting up.

"Are you guys alright?" Hunk panicked over the comms as he landed Yellow ahead of them. The big lion in perfect condition. Keith shut off the comms and allowed himself a moment to wallow in his disappointment. The windshield flickering before darkening and throwing him into nothingness.

He pulled on the limp pedal, but it was as useful as pulling a broken lever. If he concentrated hard enough, maybe he'd hear her distant voice. But it was too far gone to reach.

* * *

"What is going on here?" Pidge hurried up to the rest of them. Lance crawled out of the Blue Lion's mouth and collapsed on the floor like an upset toddler. Hunk came out of Yellow and simply shrugged.

"I don't know," he said. "Lance crashed into Keith I take it and they went crashing into the woods."

Pidge rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but  _ how _ , though?"

"Bonding exercises are not as fun as they make them out to be in the TV shows," Lance grumbled into the sand. That confused Pidge even more.

"What kind of bonding exercise got you all crashing in the middle of the forest in your lions?"

Hunk sighed, almost disappointed, "Lance. Maybe don't read Paladin manuals from  _ Coran's _ room. That guy has all sorts of crazy stuff in there."

Lance glared up at him, "You're just saying that cause you were perfectly fine and think it was too boring or something!" Hunk sighed again and Pidge glanced behind them toward the Red Lion. Keith hopped out of Red's slightly ajar maw, his head turned away from the rest of them. Hunk and Lance followed Pidge's eye line and looked up at Keith.

"Tow her back to the Castle, she's not gonna listen to me," he said before turning away and disappearing between the trees. Hunk went to Yellow quietly and Pidge followed Lance into Blue to get a ride back. Yellow tucked his head under Red's body and lifted her up as the two stable lions flew back toward the Castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is kinda short but now you know I didn't forget about Aftermath! So, yay... Plus, Adam and Shiro are tryna patch things up again and soon Curtis and Shiro will become friends too.


	3. The Mission :: Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one but it is one of two parts so.

"Tow her back to the Castle, she's not gonna listen to me," he said before turning away and disappearing between the trees. None of them followed him back to the city, which he was thankful for. The trees seemed to grow taller around him, hugging his arms closer to his body and keeping his eyes on the forest floor. He walked in silence before the ground beneath him became concrete. He kept moving, not looking up from the ground. Olkari flashed by him in his peripherals but he ignored them.

Most of them seemed to stray away, the distrust they carried for him still lingered. He came to a screeching halt when he heard his name being called. "Keith!" He looked up to a familiar face. One he both hated and admired. Walking beside the altean goddess that saved him from the Emperor.

"Hey, are you okay?" Shiro asked, the weight of his new robotic hand sticking him to the spot. He glanced away and shrugged, attempting to avoid conversation. "Oh..." Shiro breathed out in an understanding tone. Keith glanced up to see his eyes on two lions. The unconscious shell of Red being carried on Yellow's back. "Keith, we'll figure it out -"

Before he could get started with another speech of motivation, he pushed past them and walked back to the Castle. The halls were becoming more and more familiar. He spent quintants inside, trying to get used to it. It was much smaller than Zarkon's ship so navigating and recognizing the Castle was as easy as scaling a cruiser with too many rooms.

He entered the room assigned to him and sat down on the bed. Curling up into the corner of the wall. He felt useless just sitting there. The silence ringing around him. He felt trapped, like sitting alone in Sendak's ship as a young kit, feeling the burning heat that bound him and Red together. Feeling that connection for decophoebs more, slipping up as he trained cause he longed to follow that warmth. Standing guard next to the large doors and feeling her energy strengthen by every tick. The sense of power she was able to offer him once he was soaring through the stars.

But now he was alone. The only heat was the heat of the Olkari sun. The only bond left was not strong enough to even notice. With Red gone, he could barely even feel his purpose.

They didn't need Voltron anymore. The war was over and after the Atlas was prepared, the Paladins were all gonna go to Earth. They were gonna go home. He and Axca might find their father and try to settle down from the war. But without Red, he felt empty. Her thoughts, her energy, was no longer there. He hasn't felt so worthless and alone in decophoebs.

As he sat in the silence, the golden flicker snuffed out.

* * *

The hot water felt good against her cold skin. She let out a raspy breath, the running tap water loud in her ears. She glanced up at her reflection, her blue eyes were brighter than ever and her hair untamed. Her skin seemed greyer. Maybe even bluer. She let out another tired breath and turned off the tap. Drying her face with a nearby towel, she smoothed back her hair and left the bathroom.

Keeping her composure was getting harder and harder by the day. But a slight chill wasn't gonna weigh her down when the new paladins have done so much for the Universe.

She wished she could do something to pay them back. To pay the world back. But there was no way she could. All danger was gone now. And the little danger still out there was being solved by the Blade of Marmora. Even if she had her doubts at first, Allura grew to trust the Blades. They were hard workers and confident to save the name of the Galra. Everyone was doing so great without her. Everyone knew their place.

"Coran!" she yelled in surprise and glee when her eyes met the familiar altean. He was staring intently at his control panel, the words over the screen switching from Altean to Galvacore.

"Princess!" Coran turned with a large smile crossing his features. He seemed much younger whenever she entered the room. She was a piece of his old life on Altea after all. They felt at home here on Olkarion, among people they visited so frequently.

"What is wrong with your control panel?" Allura asked, gesturing to the monitor glitching in and out of two languages.

"Oh, do not worry about it, Princess," Coran assured her. "I've got it under control."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't mind helping -"

"Got it!" the words become a smooth paragraph of Galvacore, later switching to Altean and staying permanent to the screen. "I've been attempting to make my control system the only one in Altean. So the Paladins could read Galvacore on all the others." He turned to her after switching off the monitor. "Now what was it you were saying? I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Oh, nothing, I suppose..." She said, stepping up to the podium in the center of the room. "Just that I wouldn't've mind to -"

"Coran, we need you in the Red hangar stat," the voice of the Green Paladin rang through the room, breaking her sentence in half. "Not that anything is particularly wrong, it's just a precaution." The comm tuned off and Coran turned to her with yet another apologetic smile.

"My bad, Princess," he chuckled. "I suppose I must be going."

Allura waved him off, "No need to apologize. I - I have my own things to tend to." Coran nodded and left the room. She watched him until the door closed behind his back and she let out a long sigh. "At least, I should."

* * *

Keith zoned out most of the conversation. The Blades have been going on mission after mission to assure the Universe's absolute freedom. This was just a simple debriefing. He found himself being more drawn to the view of Olkari than any of their words. That was until -

"Through the decophoebs we expanded and built The Blade of Marmora, some members got lost along the way. Now that the war is over, we might be able to rescue those members from their confines," Kolivan spoke in his usual monotone expression.

"How can you be sure that they are still alive? Nevertheless, still loyal to their choices," Allura asked, standing upon her podium. Her power almost seemed to overarch them all, her position on her late planet has not left her aura quite yet. "The Galra cruisers are all demolished, I do not remember sparing any of them in the last battle."

"It may be true that the word of Emperor Zarkon's demise alerted his followers into attack," Kolivan glanced to the side. His eyes seemed to meet Keith's, burning into him. "But not long before the battle, he recruited a new right hand to rule beside him. Someone he trusted enough to call the shots. And they have demanded to halt any impulsive behavior if anything were to happen to their leader."

Allura followed his gaze. The leaders' eyes locked him into a corner of guilt, glancing away, and trying to ignore their hard stares. A grounding thud touched his shoulder and he looked up to see Shiro's small smile.

"Is that why the Blades have gone on so many missions?" Allura asked, catching their attention.

"Yes," Kolivan admitted. "The sequence of events that followed so closely after that order prevented Zarkon from ever calling it off. Many galra soldiers stayed in their route. But many have been taken down by the Blades these past quintants. But we have run into a problem. With all the piling missions, we never have the opportunity to save fallen Blades."

"But what if they are not loyal? What if they no longer live?" the words that left Allura were blunt; straight to the point. It didn't stop them from being any less cold.

"If they are not loyal, then we save the Universe from a growing resistance. If they are dead, there might be worthy information aboard ship. And if they are loyal, it would only benefit us," Kolivan said. "We have nothing to lose. But no one could make the mission. So the information is pretty much worthless."

"Not it's not," Allura said, the authority in her tone only growing. "I can make the mission."

"Princess..." Coran said with uncertainty.

"What? I'm not just gonna sit around the Castle and do nothing while others are risking everything," Allura argued. "I'll do the mission, even if there is nothing there."

"Princess, I would never belittle your opinions nor will I shun your choices, but you haven't been through the war with the Galra, you don't know who you will be facing or what your to be doing," Coran said, a begging tone to his usually chipper voice. "Please, I can't let you get hurt."

"Then I'll go too," as everyone's eyes landed on him again, he felt the effects of peer pressure kick in. He didn't quite know why he said it, maybe hoping for a chance to win the Blades' respect or just prove himself to the group. Maybe the sound of Coran's worry set him on edge, but he stood by what he said. Waiting for their response.

"May I remind you, you didn't show much loyalty to us," Geverus hissed from his place next to Kolivan. "Why would you suit as a great defender of the Princess?"

"I don't need a defender," The princess argued. "I'm perfectly capable to take care of myself."

"I'm not doing it for her," He spoke before he could stop himself, everyone turning to look back at him. "I'm doing it for the Blade. To prove that I wasn't on the Emperor's side."

"You can't prove anything in that regard, you made your loyalty clear when you blew apart our home base," Geverus sneered. "You follow the Emperor to the end of his fall."

“What would I gain from that? What would the Empire have gained from that?” Keith’s defense rose with his words. “To destroy their leader and weaken their soldiers to a hidden few. There is no reason to it other than ending a horrible tyranny that could’ve had a lasting impact on the entire balance of the Universe. I never was nor will I ever  _ be  _ on their side.”

“We can’t trust him,” Geverus growled. “We saw the actions he chose, Galra like him never have sincere views. He’s just the Emperor’s follower, doing whatever he must to gain the power of the Universe and use it against us. We do not know his true intentions -”

“I am going on this mission so I will decide who accompanies me,” Allura said in a strong voice, quieting the room. Shiro gave Keith a look that read ‘don’t do anything stupid’. He glowered at him; Shiro’s shoulders deflated and he turned to look back at the Princess. Waiting for her word. “I -” Her eyes locked on Keith’s, uncertainty shining in them as she realized the weight of her decision. To choose if she was looking down to a traitor or a friend. “I will go alone. He hasn’t proven his loyalty to us.”

“What?” Keith shouted, Shiro giving him a pleading look from his side. Keith ignored him. “I’ve proven enough! I helped you end the reign of terror of a monster that ruled over everything for thousands of decophoebs and that’s not enough? I risked my life to assure the safety of the soldiers on the battlefield -”

“We can not be sure that those actions were justified to us.”

“Who would that help? Nobody but Voltron. The rebels could’ve died and I risked everything to help you. You saved  _ me _ ! What happened to being the Red Paladin, you trusting Red’s decisions, accepting me cause you were sure I was destined to help your side? What happened to trusting me -”

“I did not know you back then,” Allura growled from her spot, her cold gaze pinning him to the spot. “You responded to the Red Lion’s call so I knew you had to be good. But you bore the insignia of the people who enslaved millions and destroyed homes and families. You kneeled to an Emperor because you trusted him. You brought destruction upon allies and terrorized the Paladins. And all good we ever heard from you was a gut feeling. The Red Lion can’t even trust you! Why should we?”

Silence rang in the bridge. The tension thick and heavy. It felt like they were all in a frozen room. Cold words hung low and cut deep. None of them seemed to move. The Blades stood their ground but Keith noticed their hands prepared on their blades in the case of trouble. The Paladins all stood back, staring between the Princess and the soldier. The soldier who still wore the insignia of the Galra on his chest. No visible trace of a bond linking him to their side.

“Princess…” Coran’s voice came small, the only sound in that cold room. Even the Olkari sun couldn’t free the ice. Keith was the first to move. Pushing past the pressurizing stares of them all. Shiro tried to pull him back, keep him there and assure it was all gonna be alright. But he shrugged him off and left without another word. The closing doors sounding like the fresh crack of lightning in the middle of a storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I miss angst alright? I need it.


	4. The Mission :: Part 2

The sound reverberated off the walls of the training deck.

His blade bouncing off the gladiator’s staff, barely even scathing the perfect white metal. He could feel sweat across his face, his eyes focused on the blue light capturing his gaze. The blue pearl eye that resembled a cautious glare from a regal princess. The staff pressing hard against the flat of his blade as hard as the judgment of a group of warriors whose trust had been betrayed. Long before he could ever even try to patch it.

With a guttural cry, he twisted the blade. The sharp edging cutting through the staff with ease and piercing off the head of the opponent. The blue light fading away along with the memory of humiliation. Heaving breaths leaving his mouth as he looked down at the white floor. The pulsing light of his blade casting soft shadows. As he heard the telltale sign of the roof opening up and the metallic thud of another soldier, he pushed himself back to his feet. Preparing his blade for the oncoming attack.

“End training session,” spoke a deep voice behind him after the swoosh of the doors. Keith’s shoulders sagged at the sound of approaching footsteps and the retreating of the gladiator.

“I didn’t ask you to intervene,” Keith growled, turning on the intruder. His eyes locked with Shiro’s. His grey eyes filled with something akin to pity. His golden eye freezing him to the spot. The mark of a bond between Paladin and lion. And he didn’t have it. The humiliation of nine eyes clouding around him in judgment.

_You brought destruction upon allies and terrorized the Paladins. And all good we ever heard from you was a gut feeling. The Red Lion can’t even trust you! Why should we?_

“Stop looking at me like that!” the fear of rejection, of being thrown away in the deep of the Universe, turned into an ugly rage. Suppressing all of the feelings he was too scared to accept. “If you have something to say then just say it!”

The pressure of strong arms wrapped around him, his hands hovering over the other’s back. His sword clattering to the ground at the surprise hug. Cold armor pressed hard against his chin. “It’s not a gut feeling, Keith. You’re much more than the Red Paladin. You’re a hero. You’re my right hand. You’re my best friend.”

“Nobody else will see that, not now that Red is gone,” Keith said, hands falling to his sides.

Shiro refused to let go, holding on tighter. “Red isn’t gone. She’s still here. You just need to be patient. She’ll come back to you.”

“There is nothing there anymore, Shiro,” Keith argued. “Her energy is just.. not there. I tried to reconnect with her but she just won’t let me.”

Shiro pulled away. His eyes calculating, “Nobody said that a telepathic bond with a sentient war machine was gonna be easy. Probably cause they never thought they’d need to say it. But I know, first hand, that trying to mend such an ethereal bond takes time. It took forever for Black to accept me. But she did. You and Red had something stronger and I know she’ll come back to you.”

“But… what if she doesn’t,” Keith asked, glancing away from Shiro. “I can’t lose Red. She knows more about me then I know about myself. We’ve been through everything with each other. I can’t lose her.”

“And you won’t,” Shiro put his flesh hand on his shoulder. Drawing Keith’s attention. “I promise you’ll rekindle that lost bond. You just have to give it some time.”

“I’ve given it time —”

“I know, but you have good intentions and Red will see that. Waiting doesn’t necessarily feel great but in time, you will make an even stronger connection to your lion,” Shiro assured him. “Everyone will give you chance too. I promise.” Keith hung his head and nodded solemnly. He knew Shiro was right, he just wasn’t the most patient person. “Okay, now — what about you spar a real opponent?”

The Black Paladin stepped back, raising his floating fist before him. Keith could go for a few extra minutes.

* * *

Her presence was as overpowering as its been ten-thousand-decophoebs ago. Ten-thousand-decophoebs ago, when her father took her hand and placed it on the solid barrier protecting the Red Lion. Those bright shining eyes holding her to the spot like a spotlight were now dim. Unseeing and unaware of her presence. ‘One day, you will lead them with her. I know you will.’ Her hand pressed against her metal claw, the energy that rushed through her felt like a breath of fresh air. She opened her eyes and looked up at the majestic ship before her.

Her red body the center of attention in the white room. “Please, let me lead them. Let me hold this honor. Grant my father’s wishes. Guide me.”

Her energy pulsed gently beneath Allura’s fingers. Curious yet unsure. Sensing her father’s energy inside of the young Princess. But despite the connection, there was no reaching out. There was no spark. Just quiet judgment. She let out a defeated sigh, closing her eyes as she tried to tune into her energy.

“Asking for permission isn’t gonna help you in this, Princess,” she jumped, hand retracting from the lion’s paw. Her eyes widened as she saw the figure leaning against the doorway. Watching her with skeptical eyes. His aura seemed almost angry, a warning. “Red won’t accept you just because you said ‘please’.” He pushed off the doorway, doors whooshing closed behind him as he drew deeper into the room. “She’s not yours.”

Allura turned to fully face him, standing tall. “She’s not yours either.” It struck a nerve, his body tensing before relaxing again. “My father was her first Paladin, he foresaw our bond and I must accept my destiny.”

“Your father understood them less than anyone in this entire ship, he can’t _foresee_ a bond between you two just because you were the Princess of Altea. They are more complicated than anything we know today. So don’t pretend you know what she wants.”

“Cause you do?” Allura growled back at him.

Keith glanced up at the lion before turning back to her, “No. And I might never know. But she doesn’t believe in destinies being written for you. She doesn’t choose the perfect Paladins but she teaches them things about themselves that they didn’t even know about. And she accepts the Paladins that have made the most mistakes.”

Allura’s anger bubbled inside her, taking immediate offense to his words, “My father didn’t make mistakes.”

“He wasn’t the perfect king, Princess,” Keith retorted. “He was blindsided by the bond between the Paladins to the point his hand was forced to destroy their home and create a sense of vengeance in his allies. He wasn’t perfect because he was Voltron’s right hand, because he was brave. Your father had flaws like everyone else and Red helped him get through it all.”

“You don’t know my father,” Allura spoke in warning.

“I don’t have to to know that I’m right,” Keith retaliated. “Because all I have to do is look at his daughter, who judged someone before they could even prove themselves. Who saved someone who was trying everything to keep those soldiers safe and would still turn her back on them because a connection has been broken because of past mistakes. Not even bothering to think that maybe I regret hurting her every single quintant. That maybe I tried.

“You can’t let opinions cloud your judgment, Princess of Altea. If you want to be a true leader, you have to start seeing people for who they are. People. Flawed and insecure people who want a chance. You’re there to make sure they get that chance. Not to push away all opportunities they have to gain the trust of those they work so hard to prove themselves to.”

Allura searched his eyes, “Why did you really come here?”

“I came here because if I didn’t have Shiro, I wouldn’t have realized how much I deserve a second chance. I’m going on that mission with you, even if there is nothing there, if it is completely useless and a waste of time. I’m going, and I won’t be held back by anyone. So, don’t try to stop me,” he turned away from her, leaving the hangar. “See you tomorrow, Princess.”

The doors closed behind his back and Allura let out an angry shout. Her fists hitting the side of Red’s particle barrier as it rose around her. She slid down to the ground before her, looking down at the sterile floors of her Castle.

_Am I really so wrong?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst, yeea. Needed some broganes as well as some platonic!Kallura angst. Allura is havin' some trouble coping with all the differences in the world but she'll get there.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and Comments are appreciated.


End file.
